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| File Photo: Tourists follow park wardens as they track mountain gorillas in Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, near the border town of Bunagana October 21, 2012. REUTERS/James Akena |
A park ranger was killed and two British citizens were kidnapped on Friday in Democratic Republic of Congoโs Virunga National Park, a park service official and a local civil society leader said.
Unidentified armed men ambushed the group in the morning near the village of Kibati just north of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, said Mambo Kawaya, who heads a group of local civil society organisations.
The Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) confirmed that one of its rangers was killed in the incident and that two British nationals were among three people abducted.
โFor the moment the (ICCN) cannot communicate much about the incident because the hostages are still in captivity. That would put their lives in danger,โ Joel Wenga, the ICCNโs head of communications in North Kivu told Reuters.
Britainโs Foreign Office said it was in contact with the Congolese authorities โfollowing an incident involving two British nationalsโ and said its staff were providing support to their families.
